Dubai Expo 2020 Likely To Postpone One Year Due To COVID-19 Disruption

Dubai Expo 2020, the world trade fair that was scheduled to open on October 20, looks set to be postponed by a year due to the global disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

The large-scale event, which is costing the country’s ruling family billions of dollars and is designed to promote the emirate state to global business, is facing significant challenges in the current climate, with major preparations needed to be completed long before the fair opens.

In a statement on the official website, organizers said that “many countries have been significantly impacted by COVID-19 and they have expressed a need to postpone Expo’s opening by one year, to enable them to overcome this challenge”.

It is officially suggesting the event delays one year, and will present that proposal to the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), which award the Expo to Dubai back in 2014. The decision requires backing from two-thirds of the BIE member states to be ratified.

The UAE has seen 611 confirmed coronavirus cases to date, and five deaths. As per much of the world, the country’s infrastructure is facing significant disruption, including its flagship Emirates Airline, which has suspended all flights.